President Obama(Photo: Morry Gash, AP)
President Obama defended his economic record Thursday, while mocking the crowded field of Republican presidential candidates who plan to attack it during next year's election.
"We've got some healthy competition in the Democratic Party, but I've lost count how many Republicans are running for this job," Obama told a supportive crowd in La Crosse, Wis.
"They'll have enough for an actual Hunger Games," he added.
The GOP presidential nomination contest currently features 14 candidates, with two more — Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Ohio Gov. John Kasich — expected to announce bids later this month.
These candidates and Republican lawmakers have spent much of their time faulting Obama for a sluggish economy and a weak foreign policy.
Walker, who greeted Obama at the airport in La Crosse, said in an op-ed that Obama's "big government" policies are ineffective. On the
Real Clear Politics website, Walker said that "opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs are often quashed by a federal government that has grown too large, powerful and pervasive."
USA TODAY
New overtime rule could affect up to 5 million workers
In a wide-ranging speech that included plans for expanding overtime pay, Obama said his health care law is working and that his economic policies have helped drive down the unemployment rate to 5.3%, as reported Thursday by the Labor Department.
"This is progress," Obama said. "Step by step, America is moving forward. Middle class economics works."
USA TODAY
Employers added 223,000 jobs in June
Obama touted new rules that would make more people eligible for overtime. Currently, many lower income workers are rendered ineligible for overtime pay because they are designated managers or administrative personnel.
The current overtime rule "is a very good illustration of millions of people who are working hard and falling further behind," Labor Secretary Thomas Perez told USA TODAY. "Workers who should be compensated for their work are not being compensated."
Business groups and Republican lawmakers said the new rule would force employers to reduce benefits or cut workers.
Perez said if employers cut hours, that means they'll have to hire more workers, which is good for employees in the labor market; if employers raise wages to avoid paying overtime, he said that's also good for workers.
Republicans, including the presidential candidates, say wages remain stagnant and too many people are either looking for work or living paycheck-to-paycheck.
"Republicans are advancing solutions to promote stronger economic growth and reduce Americans' cost of living," said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
During his speech in Wisconsin, Obama knocked Republicans for proposals to cut taxes and loosen regulations, saying they would benefit the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.
USA TODAY
Obama, Cuba announce embassy openings
GOP calls to repeal the health care law would cut off up to 16 million people from insurance, and "seems a little mean," Obama said. "They're good people," he said of the Republicans. "It's just their ideas are bad."
The president said he knows that the Republican presidential candidates — "an interesting bunch" — will attack his record by "making a whole bunch of stuff up."
That's one of the reasons he made this speech, Obama said: "I figure why should I let them have all the fun?"
Contributing: Paul Davidson
Powered By WizardRSS.com |
Full Text RSS Feed
